Mechanism for an electrical appliance

Abstract

The mechanism for the electrical appliance, especially for a hair cutting device, for line voltage or battery-powered operation comprises a tool portion with a rechargeable battery and an adapter, which is easily connected by a cable with a current source and which has means for easy maintenance and for easy connection and disconnection with the tool portion. The electrical appliance may also have a holder for the tool portion in which the tool portion can be held with the adapter connected. The tool portion may be easily detachable from the adapter held in the holder during battery powered operation or alternatively the tool portion with the adapter connected may be easily removed from the holder when the tool portion is energized by the line voltage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a mechanism for an electrical appliance having a tool portion with a rechargeable battery, said tool portion being structured for line-powered operation or battery-powered operation according to choice, and also having an adapter for charging of the rechargeable battery, a cable connected to the adapter, said adapter being electrically connectable by said cable to a current source, a holder structured to receive said tool portion and said adapter and said holder; said adapter and said tool portion having means for connection with each other so that said adapter is electrically connectable with said tool portion so as to charge the battery for said battery-powered operation, and for said line-powered operation the adapter, and the tool portion being removable from the holder and being electrically connectable with each other, the improvement further comprising additional means for releasable connection of said adapter and said holder; and means for releasable locking together the adapter and the tool portion structured in such a way that, when the adapter and the tool portion are connected together mechanically while received in the holder and when said adapter is connected is said holder by said additional means for releasable connection, the adapter is released from the holder, so that said tool portion with said adapter electrically connected for said line-powered operation may be removed from said holder and, when said adapter and said tool portion are returned to said holder and connected with said holder by said additional means for releasable connection of said adapter and said holder, said tool portion is disconnectable from said adapter for said battery-powered operation, wherein said tool portion is provided with a tool portion cavity and said adapter substantially fits in the tool portion cavity of said tool portion and the means for locking together the adapter and the tool portion comprise an axial-spring loaded pin projecting from the tool portion and a passage provided in the adapter, in which said axial-spring loaded pin fits on engagement of said adapter and said tool portion, the axial-spring loaded pin projecting from said tool portion into said cavity and into said passage of said adapter, when said adapter is connected with said tool portion, and a plurality of projections and tongues and additional grooves and recess are provided on said tool portion and said adapter, so that a motion of said adapter from said tool portion in the longitudinal direction of said pin is prevented, when said tool portion is connected with said adapter. 
     
     
       2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said adapter has a slot extending longitudinally up to one end of said adapter from said passage, which enlarges toward said end of said adapter and two laterally projecting ones of said tongues located at the other end of said adapter. 
     
     
       3. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein an additional stud and an additional adapter spring are provided in said holder, said additional stud projecting substantially vertically from a bearing surface of said holder and being slidable against a force of said additional adapter spring in the longitudinal direction of said holder and a plurality of hooks projecting beyond an end wall of said holder so that said hooks partially engage over said adapter, when said adapter is at said end wall. 
     
     
       4. The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said additional stud has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said passage, and said end of said additional stud is spherical corresponding to said diameter of said passage. 
     
     
       5. The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said holder is provided with a passage running longitudinally, in which said additional adapter spring and guide and retaining members are mounted and said additional stud is mounted on said guide and retaining members, which project through an elongated hole in said bearing surfaces of said holder. 
     
     
       6. The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein said holder has an inclined one of said bearing surfaces for said tool portion, said cable issues from said lower end of said bearing surface and a downwardly opening is provided both in the vicinity of a lower end of said bearing surface and under an upper end of said bearing surface. 
     
     
       7. The improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said tool portion is a hair cutting device.